Atrium - the central court (or center area) of a cruise ship, usually rising through more than one story of the ship's interior

Berth - a built-in bed or bunk, as in a ship's cabin or stateroom

Bow - the very front of the ship

Bridge - the navigational control center

Cabin or Stateroom Steward - a person whose work is to take care of the guests aboard a ship.

Captain - the person in command of a ship

Courtyard area - another Norwegian exclusive that offers privacy and luxury for our Suites and Villas guests. You will enjoy a private pool, hot tub, sundeck with Balinese lounges, a fitness area and aboard Norwegian Epic, two private restaurants and a bar.

Deck Plan - an overhead diagram of the cabins and the public rooms

Disembark - to unload (passengers or goods) from a ship

Dock - where your ship 'parks' when in port

Family Villa with Balcony (2 bedroom) - Exclusive to our Jewel Class ships, these spacious suites sleep six with a private master bedroom and bath as well as a guest bedroom with bath and living and dining area.

Forward - faces the front of the boat

Gangway - allows you access on and off the ship

Garden Villa (3 bedroom) - The largest suites at sea with up to 5,000 square feet of living space at the top of the ship.

Knot - a nautical mile (see Nautical below)

Leeward - the side of the ship that is out of or away from the wind

Midship - the middle of the ship

Muster - to come together or assemble aboard ship for inspection or roll call

Muster Station - a specific location on ship to gather, based on stateroom assignment

Nautical - of or having to do with sailors, ships, or navigation. A unit of speed of one nautical mile (6,076.12 feet or 1,852 meters) an hour: abbrev. kn or kt [to average a speed of 10 knots]

Pier - a structure built out over the water and supported by pillars or piles: used as a landing place.

Port - the left-hand side of a ship as one faces forward: opposed to starboard. Port - so named because the side toward the port (dock), since the steering oar (see starboard) prevented docking to the right.

Port of Call - regular stopover(s) on a cruise itinerary.

Purser - a ship's officer in charge of accounts, freight, tickets, etc., esp. on a passenger vessel. Important to you - a Purser takes responsibility for all money, transactions.

Port - the left hand side of the ship while facing forward (bow). Easy to remember since "port" and "left" each have four letters.

Ship - You always cruise on a "ship," never a "boat"

Spa Suite - A luxurious suite only found aboard Norwegian Epic that features an ocean view whirlpool tub, balcony, complimentary, nearby access to the Thermal Suites at Mandara Spa and keycard access to the private Courtyard area

Starboard - the right side of the ship while facing forward (bow).

Stateroom - your cabin or berth

Stern - the very back of the ship

Studios - Norwegian Epic's private keycard access complex comprised of staterooms designed and priced for the solo traveler. Also includes access to the private Studio Lounge.

Studio Lounge - A private lounge aboard Norwegian Epic reserved exclusively for Studio guests. This is a place to relax, watch TV, have a drink and meet fellow Studio guests.

Tender - a boat for carrying passengers to or from a ship close to shore.

Windward - on the side of the ship from which the wind blows; toward the wind

Infants sailing onboard a Norwegian vessel must be at least six months of age at time of sailing. However, for voyages that have 3 or more consecutive days at sea, the infant must be at least 12 months old at time of sailing.

A minor is defined as an individual under 18 years of age at the time of embarkation.

A young adult is defined as an individual between the ages of 18 and 20.

Company policy dictates that a passenger under 21 years of age must be accompanied in the same or connecting stateroom by a passenger 21 years of age or older at the time of embarkation.

For passengers under the age of 18 traveling with an accompanying adult, who is not the minor's parent or legal guardian, a PARENT/GUARDIAN CONSENT RELEASE FORM (PDF) that authorizes the minor's travel and further authorizes medical treatment in case of an emergency must be delivered to a Norwegian representative at the pier during check-in. Failure to produce this letter at embarkation may result in boarding being denied, with no refund of cruise fare provided.

Note: Two people under the age of 21 may travel together in the same stateroom if they are a married couple and provide proof of marriage to a Norwegian representative at the pier before embarkation.

Shore Excursions and specialty dining can be purchased by guests sailing on any Norwegian ship. In addition, guests sailing on the Norwegian Epic will have the option to pre-purchase onboard Entertainment and Spa activities.

How do I book my Shore Excursions?

Click here to view the available Shore Excursions. An updated listing of Shore Excursions is available approximately 6 months prior to the first sailing of each cruise destination season. All tours are available to pre-request at My NCL, or you can call 866-625-1167 (US & Canada) or 0845-201-8907 (UK). Once onboard, Shore Excursions can also be purchased at the ship's Shore Excursion Desk.

How do I book my Dining, Entertainment and Spa activities prior to sailing?

Onboard activities can be booked online at ncl.com/myncl; by calling 866-625-1167 (for Shore Excursions) and 800-327-7030 for Spa (Norwegian Epic only), Dining and Entertainment, or by contacting your travel professional.

Please note: Specialty dining can be pre-booked online for parties of up to eight guests. If you'd like to pre-book specialty dining for larger parties, please call us at 800-327-7030 for assistance. Our reservation agents will also be able to assist you if you would like to pre-book specialty dining for your group using more than one credit card.

Who will be asked to purchase cruise activities with a credit card?

Ticketed passengers who (1) purchased the cruise in US dollars, CAN dollars, GBP or Euro’s, and (2) do not have a Shore Excursion, Dining or Entertainment reservation on record prior to June 29, 2011. Guests who do not meet all of these criteria will be able to pre-book activities, but will not be asked for payment at the time of booking.

Will my charges to my credit card be refunded if I cancel my bookings prior to sailing?

Cancellations made up to 24 hours prior to sailing will be refunded in full to the credit card on which the purchase was made. To cancel prepaid reservations prior to sailing, please call 866-896-3152 (for Shore Excursions) and 800-327-7030 (for Dining, Entertainment and Spa). Cancellations made after that point will be refunded as an onboard credit. To make a cancellation on board, please visit the Shore Excursion Desk (for Shore Excursions), or the Guest Services Desk (for Dining, Entertainment and Spa, or the Mandara Spa Reception Desk – Norwegian Epic only). For more information please click here.

What is the cancellation process once I’m on board?

Shore Excursions: Guests that cancel on board more than 48 hours prior to the tour will receive a refund for their purchase in the form of an onboard credit. Tours cancelled by guests less than 48 hours prior to arrival in the port where the tour is scheduled are non-refundable. Please note that certain tours, such as overland tours, customized tours and tours with theater performances or special events may be subject to different cancellation fees. To make a cancellation on board or for additional details, please visit the Shore Excursion Desk.

Dining/Entertainment: Guests that cancel on board more than 24 hours prior to the booked activity will receive a refund for their purchase in the form of an onboard credit. If a cancellation is made less than 24 hours prior to the activity, no refund will be issued. To make a cancellation on board, please visit the Guest Services Desk.

Spa: Guests that cancel on board more than 24 hours prior to the booked activity will receive a refund for their purchase in the form of an onboard credit. Failure to do so may result in a cancellation charge up to 50% of the treatment price being assessed to your onboard account. To make a cancellation on board, please visit the Guest Services Desk or the Mandara Spa Reception Desk – Norwegian Epic only.

Reservations are never required or taken for the Main Dining Rooms, Buffet, Blue Lagoon, Cadillac Diner or O’Sheehans; however reservations are recommended for our specialty restaurants. Reservations may be made by phone, in person at the designated Restaurant Reservations Desk, or at any specialty restaurant host desk during dinner service.

To ensure that our guests receive our best service, we can only hold your dinner reservation for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, the unclaimed reservation will be released. For dinner reservations made on board, the full cover price per guest will be charged to the guest’s account. For pre-paid reservations, no refund will be issued.

Tours with this activity level involve walking over relatively level terrain, possibly some cobblestone, gravel, or a few steps. Comfortable shoes are recommended.

Tours with this activity level involve a considerable amount of physical activity such as substantial walking over cobblestone streets, uneven or steep terrain, climbing stairs, or extended periods of standing. Not recommended for guests with physical limitations. Comfortable, sturdy shoes are recommended.

Tours with this activity level involve physical exertion for extended periods of time; can involve uneven or steep terrain or swimming in a light current. Recommended only for physically fit and adventurous travelers.